According to The PUNCH, the Senate on Wednesday grilled heads of security agencies over the spate of killings and insecurity across the country. The meeting , which lasted four hours , was held behind closed doors .

The lawmakers asked the security agencies to forward their requests for special funding within two weeks for approval . The funding, the Senate said , was different from the annual budget of the agencies.

In attendance at the meeting were the Director – General of the Department of State Services , Lawal Daura; and the Chief of Defence Staff , General Abayomi Olonisakin . Heads of other military and paramilitary agencies sent their representatives .

The Inspector – General of Police, Ibrahim Idris , was represented by the Deputy Inspector – General of Police ( Operations ), Habila Joshak.

Joshak had represented the IG twice out of the three times he failed to appear before the Senate . The subordinate was, however , turned back by the lawmakers.

The Senate had summoned the service chiefs and heads of security agencies in the country , including the Nigerian Immigration Service and the Nigeria Customs Service , to address the lawmakers over the rising spate of killings in the country .

After the meeting on Wednesday, President of the Senate , Bukola Saraki , described it as “ a useful deliberation. ” He said the meeting resolved that the security agencies would get special funding , which the legislature was ready to approve.

Saraki said , “The Senate , in a closed committee of the whole, received briefs from the Chief of Defence Staff , the Director General of the Department of State Services ; representatives of the Comptroller- General Immigration Service , Inspector General of Police, and the Comptroller- General of Customs on the proliferation of dangerous arms , spate of killings and kidnappings by hoodlums across the country.

“Thereafter, they answered questions from the senators bordering on security , insurgency, terrorism, kidnapping and other talks on national security matters .

“ On the whole, we decided that on our part, certain outstanding bills or protocols that needed to be given a fast track , should be addressed immediately , to see that they can be passed as soon as possible in order to strengthen the security architecture.

“ Secondly , of course , we all observed the funding issue and also agreed that there must be a special funding . So, we gave them two weeks to present their own budget on this area of special funding that we think will go a long way in improving the security situation in the country. ”

Saraki said the lawmakers and the security chiefs were all committed to ensuring that killings were brought to an end in the country .

He added , “We all agreed to continue to work together, cooperate and work very closely in order to address this issue . And we are confident that changes will be seen in this area .

“ We have our role to play and they are committed to play their own role , and we hope that over the next couple of weeks, we will begin to take action on some of these things that we are committed to . ”

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs , Senator Aliyu Sabi -Abdullahi , who briefed journalists after the session , said the CDS led what he called a delegation of security agencies to the Senate .

Answering questions from journalists , especially on the non – appearance of the IG who had failed to appear before the Senate three times earlier , Sabi – Abdullahi said , “ What we have said about the IG has been said ; that is in the past. ”

Sabi – Abdullahi also noted that the special funding was part of the $ 1 bn security fund approved by the National Executive Council , out of which President Muhammadu Buhari had approved withdrawal of $ 496m from the Excess Crude Account to purchase military aircraft from the United States.